Since this is a political blog the first thing I want to say is that Obama will win or lose based on the youth. That's the great unknown in all these polls. The youth do not have land lines, only cell phones, so they have not been polled. By and large, the 30-somethings grew up with no experience of segregation, or at least after segregation became illegal. But regardless of that change, we can still have discussions about race, and we should.

The profiles in the NPR segments were all based on race, not age. It sounded as though the older people were, the more likely they were to be for McCain. I find it difficult to discuss generalizations. I am sure there are some children still being raised racist. By and large, however, they are more open-minded.

Racism is an incidious thing for people. It's difficult to see it in oneself, and it is also difficult to hear someone accuse oneself of such a nasty attribute. But if one is strong in their intentions, one can accept the observations and make a change. It is a beautiful thing in the end to open oneself further and find that the world has become larger and those people one feared are not to be feared at all, that the entire construct was just that, a fabrication. It is equally surprising to realize that while one may have thought themselves fearless, there really was a fear intruding on their freedom in the world. Ironically, what one ends up finding is that they are afraid, but it need not prevent one from being free. In the end, it is we who hold ourselves back.

There are lots and lots of blogs calling on BArack Obama to come out swinging. I have wanted him to do so. Quite honestly (and naively?), I had not thought of this as being potentially scary and threatening. I guess I'm sort of clueless. Thanks to Ms Collymore for this.

I really whish that more people would read Barak Obama's book 'The Audacity of Hope'. I picked it up at a local store and have been reading it over the last couple of weeks.

I've developed a lot more respect for him than I had before I started reading that book, and I respected him before I started reading the book anyway. I don't see how anyone can't have a lot of respect for someone who runs for the office of President with as short a career in politics as Barak has had. I also have a lot of respect for Michelle, and even more after haveing read the book....

The book was written recently enough that I believe it can give a person a good idea of who Barak is now.

While I still am not sure of who I will vote for, I see him as being much more qualified for the office of President now than I did before I read the book.

I'm really not happy with the way any of the candidates are depicted by the media. There's too much spin and not enough hard data on any of them, but that's an effect of the nature of the media anyway....

Regardless of whether he wins the office, I hope he's in congress for a long time. Because of his views and bacground, I think he has a lot to offer and has the potential to better this country.

I heard most of both segments and had many reactions, but my biggest reaction was to this quote:

"I look at Obama, and I have a question in my mind," she says. "Years ago, was he taken into the Muslim faith? And my concern is the only way you are no longer a Muslim is if you are dead, killed. So in my mind, he's still alive."

I had several questions I would want to pose to her and anyone who believes as she does:

What, if anything would convince you that Obama is no longer a muslim, or never was one?

What, if anything would convince you that being a muslim - just as the color of one's skin - has no bearing on the content of one's character?

Thinking back, what caused you ever to believe that Obama was a muslim in the first place?

I never cease to wonder how people can have such harsh judgements of perceived others while overlooking the faults of themselves and our shared humanity.

-tl

Joanne, that was one of the most fair-minded comments I've seen on this site recently. BlueO has really become a cesspool of shouters and trolls recently; it's nice to hear a small but assured voice of reason like yours.

Anyone who runs for office, especially the presidency of the U.S. becomes the object of all the projections of the American people, from the most poisonous and hateful to the most aspirational and idealistic. This must especially be so for an African American man, and one who has gone this in the nomination process. It's beyond me why anyone would be willing to subject themselves to this. In Sen. Obama's case I have come to admire his capacity to not personalize the poison that is directed his way. Being an AA male candidate means he is someone with a target painted on his back, but he has to pretend it isn't there or he'll be accused of "playing the race card." His non-reactivity and maturity with all this is astounding. I pray daily for his well-being and that of his family.

The NPR story was interesting and the participants sounded more honest than a lot of folks who speak in the media.

My greatest fear is that - regardless of polling or public positions or whatever - when a lot of white people of my generation or my parents' generation mark their ballot, they will refuse to vote for the black man. Ugly, regrettable, racist, horrible, but I think sadly true.

Time to send Obama another hundred bucks.

Is anybody interested in broadening the so-called "race" discussion beyond the generically most-polarized Black/White divide? There are at least 3 or 4 other ethnic groups out there concerned with electoral issues and getting no airtime, nor discussion time here. Would anyone be interested in taking on a more-broad research view when addressing this particular angle? I find that I'm calling into a silent vacuum if I make that effort - nothing comin' back atcha. So I'd like to hear from you-all -- is this not of interest? Palin is actually VERY bad for the people of Indian Country. And if she is elected with McCain, she will be that much worse by magnitudes for the people of Indian America. Anybody care? As to Smith's illegal immigrant issues: I've not heard anyone from those culture groups typically employed without green cards, nor other ethnic groups you will find most-typically employed WITH green cards in sectors of industries that run low-paying, illicit shops. Nor have I head the discussion expand past the ... yes, generically most-polarized ethnic-group level of discussion. It would be a bracing moment of exhiliration to hear mention of Hispanic, Tribal, Asian, Former Soviet-Bloc, etc in both local and national discussion here.

Mostly, my disclaimer, I am always disappointed that the discussion here does not seem to wander past the big two and occasionnally the big three in these discussions.

I'll reiterate: Palin is a disaster for Tribals here in America. If anybody decided to give a shit about the Tribes and really do a little bit of research on her record in Alaska, then extrapolate, there would be some tasty commodity in that for the campaign.

Karol, thank you for responding to me. THank you for breaking the steadfast silence.

I'd made a decision to stop posting on BO and only look around sometimes. I've grown weary of the shallow nature of the commentary here viz this issue, and the consistent silence and utter lack of interest on the part of posters here. Once the number-one ranked HIV professional in this state and Oklahoma, I have been apalled and even angered at the lack of mention of any but the most obvious racial groups in public health reportage. It is consistent and wrongheaded for many policy and public health funding reasons.

And, as one who is affected by this, with family life-threateningly affected by this, I am deeply saddened. I've a background in social research, clinical trials, lobbying in Internet Pharmacy, some other things that bring me in from a different direction. I have also experienced the economically-trapped underside of life. I am weary of the narrow focal points, the generically-narrow focal points of the discussions of this electoral cycle. This is a huge opportunity to get it up there. But for it to devolve to merely man/woman; black/white; is as disappointing as it gets.

THIS election MUST include discussion of a well-founded anthropological and sociological nature to really get at the core of the issues that are pushed to the surface alongside the usual. An example: the depth of American misogyny is mind-blowing -- now that we are "safe" from a Clinton nomination, she is suddenly being shown in the media with rich vocal intonations (not shouting, raspy, clawing now), and a face with nuance of expression (not old, saggy, shallowed and unpretty). Sarah is being shown in all the least-PRETTY lights. It is subtle! But we are not even daring to discuss what is up front: SEX. Why is she popular with men but not so much with women? Mention is made of this but none dare unpack it.

If we ONLY discuss the usual issues from a merely political angle, we will bypass all that is most importantly now on-stage. To wit: race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, and sex (as distinct from gender). Political discourse that does not include experts from these related disciplines will not bring us anything deeply new in this election. We MUST grapple seriously and with the help of those with these knowledge bases.

Again, thank you. On a crumb of connection to something felt so deeply in my bones, I feel heartened.

Treaties are being eroded; treaties are being broken; soveriegnly-held lands are being taken, sold away, leased away, encroached and mismanaged by such as the BIA. Health services are NOT adequate or well-run. IN many tribal jurisidictions, most specifically, in urban areas, they are not funded and must exist solely on leftover monies and pro bono from local clinicians. Natives are commodified and stereotypified. You pick us up as a tool briefly, then put us back down again, never having truly educated yourself in the anti-indianism that still operates this day. The very sentimentalization of our cultures is anti-indianism, for it is commodifcation of the tribes for useage. Just as "woman" is being commodified for this campaign.

Discuss? Apply to the campaign at hand? I'm tellin' ya -- if the Obama campaign were to dig and then extrapolate what is available on Palin, they could USE the tribes issues and their "sentimental favorite" status to their benefit. Do they get that picture? Anybody here actually have access, or are we all just talking to ourselves in a corner?

:)... Indian Country is really riled up over Palin. But they are not neccesarily feeling that Obama has much said anything to them. So they fight against Palin by trading their histories amongst themselves, but still do not fight FOR Obama, for there has not been an initiative to ensure native issues are spoken. He could have visited the Longest Walkers at any time this summer, but I don't think he did. A photo op, but also a meaningful opportunity to learn about the current losses of The People.

Karol: am doing some research to try to bring to your thread some overtly political material so at least we are on-topic for a Political forum, even as I believe it is time to discuss some touchy issues that ARE political but are not labeled as politics per se. Will get some Palin/AK talking points as soon as I can dig up substance. Easily extrapolable to poor outcomes for natives, the American canaries in the substrate-cultural coalmine.

Hi Karol,

I thought you would like to see this page from the Red Room web site. http://www.redroom.com/blog/tim-wise/this-your-nation-white-privilege This is Your Nation on White Privilege This is Your Nation on White Privilege By Tim Wise Click here to read more on our site »http://www.redroom.com/blog/tim-wise/this-your-nation-white-privilege

Recent blog posts

* Hot Tub Confessions: http://www.redroom.com/blog/katie-burke/hot-tub-confessions
* Always the last to know:http://www.redroom.com/blog/loren-rhoads/always-last-know
* RIP David Foster Wallace:http://www.redroom.com/blog/tasha-alexander/rip-david-foster-wallace
* Political Humor:http://www.redroom.com/blog/gloria-white/political-humor
* Folliwng Up on Love and Pain:http://www.redroom.com/blog/keikoamano/folliwng-up-love-and-pain

Hi Karol,

I thought you would like to see this page from the Red Room web site. http://www.redroom.com/blog/tim-wise/this-your-nation-white-privilege This is Your Nation on White Privilege This is Your Nation on White Privilege By Tim Wise Click here to read more on our site »http://www.redroom.com/blog/tim-wise/this-your-nation-white-privilege

Recent blog posts

* Hot Tub Confessions: http://www.redroom.com/blog/katie-burke/hot-tub-confessions
* Always the last to know:http://www.redroom.com/blog/loren-rhoads/always-last-know
* RIP David Foster Wallace:http://www.redroom.com/blog/tasha-alexander/rip-david-foster-wallace
* Political Humor:http://www.redroom.com/blog/gloria-white/political-humor
* Folliwng Up on Love and Pain:http://www.redroom.com/blog/keikoamano/folliwng-up-love-and-pain